NEW TRAFFIC PATTERNS ALONG I-695 FOR MILFORD MILL ROAD BRIDGE PROJECT STARTING THURSDAY NIGHT

MDOT SHA Logo

MDOT SHA Logo

(April 9, 2014) – Weather permitting, traffic patterns will change this week on the inner loop of I-695 (Baltimore Beltway) between MD 26 (Liberty Road, Exit 18) and I-795 (Northwest Expressway, Exit 19) as part of the State Highway Administration’s (SHA)  $22.4 million project to replace the I-695 Bridge over Milford Mill Road.

The project will be done in stages with one half of the bridge remaining open while the other half of the bridge is removed and replaced.  In the first stage, all travel lanes will be shifted to the center of the bridge. All travel lanes open during morning and evening peak travel hours during the two-year project.  However, motorists should plan for extra travel time as there will be temporary lane closures along I-695 and Milford Mill Road at any other time of the day or night.

To create the work zone, crews will need to shift traffic during overnight hours. Motorists should expect single, double and triple lane closures beginning at 7 p.m. on Thursday April 10 on the inner loop of I-695 between Liberty Road and I-795. Maryland State Police may also stop traffic on the ramps from Liberty Road to the inner loop after 1 a.m. Thursday.

The lane closures are planned for:

7 p.m.                     Single left lane closure on inner loop

10  p.m.                  Double left lane closure on inner loop

11 p.m.                   Triple lane closure on inner loop

1 a.m. – 2:15 a.m.  All lanes closed for up to 15 minutes on the inner loop and the ramps from Liberty Road (approximately 1 a.m., 1:30 a.m. and 2 a.m.)

5 a.m.                     All lanes on I-695 inner loop and Liberty Road ramps open to traffic.

SHA’s contractor will shift the lanes on the outer loop Monday night, April 14 and be complete

5 a.m. Tuesday, April 15 and follow the same time line for lane closures as the inner loop.

In addition to the bridge construction work, SHA’s project includes resurfacing the pavement along I-695 and Milford Mill Road and construction of new 5-foot sidewalks and lighting on Milford Mill Road underneath the bridge. SHA will replace the sound wall along the inner loop I-695 between Milford Mill Road and I-795. Weather permitting; work will be complete spring 2016. 

To enhance work zone safety and protect construction crews, drivers and passengers, the work zone on I-695 at Milford Mill Road will be part of the Maryland SafeZones program.

Large traffic signs in advance of the work zones alert drivers of automated speed enforcement use. A radar-equipped digital sign will alert drivers of the 55 mph work zone speed limit and display actual vehicle speeds.

SafeZones will install the new signs and start deployment of vehicles equipped with speed enforcement cameras on I-695 beginning early May.  For the first three weeks, SafeZones will issue warnings to the registered owners of vehicles traveling 12 mph or more over the speed limit.  After the three-week warning period, SafeZones will issue $40 civil citations to the registered owners of vehicles exceeding the speed limit by 12 mph or more.

The I-695 Bridge replacement project was made possible with funding from the Transportation Infrastruct​u​re Investment Act of 2013, which maintains crucial system preservation investments and allows Maryland to activate long-term strategies to invest in Maryland’s transportation systems. By putting people back to work in the transportation industry with $4.4 billion in new investments in the next five years, Maryland is creating hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity and providing Marylanders with the transportation infrastructure necessary to grow and prosper for decades to come.

While SHA and its partners work hard to maintain safe traffic mobility in work zones, each driver needs to actively modify his or her driving style to help prevent crashes. Stay alert – look for reduced speed limits, narrow driving lanes and highway workers. Slow down and don't follow too closely. Safer Driving. Safer Work Zones. For Everyone!

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